HEAVY rains are expected to continue affecting the island for the next day-and-a-half to two days, the National Meteorological Centre said yesterday.

The met service said the rains, which began yesterday, were the result of two weather systems in the western Caribbean: a surface to upper level trough as well as a tropical wave.

According to the met service, the tropical wave is expected to continue moving away from the island in a westerly direction but the trough is forecast to remain in the area for at least up to late Tuesday.

Central and eastern parishes are expected to get the brunt of the systems’ effects, the met service said. It added that conditions along the inshore and offshore areas of the south coast will also deteriorate and advised fishermen and other marine interests to exercise caution.

Meanwhile, the Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODPEM) last night advised persons living in low-lying and flood-prone areas to be cautious.

“If you have been flooded in the past and if you live in a flood-prone area, we would encourage you to be on alert for possible flooding,” said Sophia Mitchell of the ODPEM’s public education unit.

She also advised that individuals take the necessary steps to evacuate at a moment’s notice since flooding can occur within a short space of time. Additionally, she said persons should make it a point of duty to know which of the 1,000 shelters registered under the national emergency operations programme is closest to them.

Speaking with the Observer last night, Mitchell reiterated that the ODPEM was “in a general state of readiness in the event of a hurricane”.